“I’ve been a photographer for almost 12 years, and I think fashion is a double-edged sword,” says Mark Nicdao. “It can boost your social status and change how people perceive you, and at the same time, it can turn you into a victim, where you end up being the laughing stock of everyone.”

As a photographer who has the ability to show a side of his subjects others have never seen before—“strong but innocent, beautiful but mad,” and so on—and the knack for producing images that look effortless and artistic at the same time, Mark has definitely stayed on that side of fashion, where he is a respected photographer many are still dying to work with.

In every shoot, be it for advertising or editorial projects, he exudes an infectious energy that shows his passion for his job.

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Where fashion is concerned, he prefers to describe his style as “homeless person meets Mad Men.”

Don’t let his simple style fool you. Though his rugged attire (which complements his devil-may-care attitude) consists of distressed jeans and a lived-in shirt, his shoes are another matter.

Inspired by the likes of Alain Delon, Kurt Cobain, and a bit of Serge Gainsbourg and James Dean, he goes for leather shoes, cowboy boots, and other pairs with that distressed yet beautifully handcrafted appeal.

Distressed leather boots by DOLCE & GABBANAMark considers these boots as his go-to pair. He bought them in Europeand liked them because they look like “a post-war construction worker beat-up piece.”

He prefers Prada, which are “built to last,” Dolce & Gabbana for the design, Church’s, Dior for the “cool” aesthetic, and Opening Ceremony, “edgy yet minimalist.”

“I just like shoes that look old, and not sparkly new ones,” shares Mark. “Just go for comfort, but not too comfortable; always think, ‘best shoe forward.’”

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